It’s Not the Same Old Tune for the Jazz

The Utah Jazz began the season by winning 17 of their first 20 games, and ended it by winning 19 of its final 20.

The Jazz set franchise records for most victories in a season, 64; most home victories, 38, and posted the second-best road record in club history, 26-15.

But Coach Jerry Sloan, who has won 50 or more games eight times in nine seasons, does not call it his best team.

“We’ve had some pretty good teams,” Sloan said. “I think our record is obviously the best. We didn’t have any injuries, but we’re aware of all the other teams that have had injuries [the Lakers and San Antonio Spurs] and how good they could have been if they didn’t have any injuries.

“So I don’t know if this is our best team or not because of all the things that have happened.”

Forward Karl Malone had his best season in five years, averaging 27.4 points, 9.9 rebounds and a career-high 4.5 assists. Malone also improved his perimeter game, shooting a career-high 55%.

“Karl has shot the ball better than he has before, which makes his game a little bit more diversified,” Sloan said.

Is there a sense of urgency for Malone, 33, and guard John Stockton, 35, the NBA’s all-time leader in assists and steals, to win the NBA championship this season because they may not play much longer.

“I’ve answered that question for five years,” Sloan said. “There’s always been an urgency with them. That’s why they’ve come back when things haven’t gone well.

“We’ve gotten deep into the playoffs before, but you’ve got to give the other teams credit. We start two of the smallest guards in basketball [Jeff Hornacek and Stockton], and playoff basketball is more physical.”

But the Jazz is more than Malone and Stockton.

Center Greg Ostertag, the team’s top draft pick in 1995, has blossomed in his second season.

Ostertag, who averaged 3.1 points and 3.5 rebounds in 57 games last season, averaged 7.3 points and 7.3 rebounds in 70 starts this season.

“Greg has improved a great deal,” Sloan said. “When he first came in, he weighed around 296, but he got his weight down to 260. . . .

“He’s had some great moments where he’s played very well and he’s had some moments where he’s struggled a great deal. I think that happens with a lot of young players. Greg can be a factor for our team if he gives us the kind of presence that he has in the middle.”

The Clippers have lost 14 consecutive games at Utah and after a 13-point beating at Salt Lake City last month, Clipper Coach Bill Fitch was asked if he’d like to avoid the Jazz in the playoffs.

“We all look forward to going to the dance, but I’d just as soon dance with somebody besides the Jazz,” he said. “I think there are going to be a lot of teams that would like to play dodgeball.”

Malone said the Clippers, who took the Jazz to five games in the first round of the 1992 playoffs before losing the fifth game, could pose a test.

” . . . It’s going to be a tough series because those guys play hard and they never give up,” Malone said of the Clippers, who lost three of four games to Utah this season. “They’re a physical team and they’re going to come out ready to play. . . . We’re going to have to be ready to play. We have to have our thinking caps on and can’t be lazy with the basketball.”